I am finally catching up from going up to Kremmling for Memorial Day weekend. I was hoping to get some mountain bike riding in, but the weather failed to come through. It was very windy and we had snow flurries most of the time. Not the best riding weather!

Sunday we did manage to get over to Steamboat Springs to do a little window shopping. I hadn't stopping in the town for quite a few years, so it was kind of fun to wander around for a while. We didn't get up to the village but did stop by F. M. Light and Sons store. You know, we just had to after seeing all those yellow signs! (Which happen to be considered historic and are all numbered and registered with the State of Colorado!)

Monday we stopped by Grand Lake on the way back to Denver. There is a Peruvian/Mexican restaurant on the main street that I would not suggest you visit. It just wasn't very good. You live and learn.

Just outside of Denver is Idaho Springs where we stopped at the Tommyknocker Brewery for a killer deal on some fresh brewed beer. We should have waited and eaten here!

Over all it was not that bad of a weekend. I just wish we could have gone riding. I could have but I just wussed out. It was interesting how quite all the roads where. On Monday when we came back Winterpark was empty and there really was not that much traffic at all. It must have been the gas prices, at least that is my guess.

An interesting article in the NYT this morning about who owns the data on a computer once the owner has died.

"Now that home computers have largely replaced filing cabinets as the storage place for important records, what happens to your data after you die?"

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/technology/circuits/03data.html

So, I went to the Windows Update page and found that there was a new driver for my Linksys USB Network Adapter. I decided to install it. What a huge mistake.

First, I backed up my system, as I usually do. Next I went for the driver update. I then rebooted WascallyWabbit and found that I could no longer connect to my network.

Ok, just roll-back the driver. Nothing.

I then tried System Restore. Nada.

Alright, uninstall the hardware device, reboot and try again. Nope, still out in the dark.

I spent about fourty-five minutes playing this game until I found the right combination of things to do.

First you disconnect the hardware,
then you uninstall the device,
then you reboot with the device unplugged,
then you try plugging in the device,
nothing happens so you unplug and then plug the device back in
and, boom, it works.

Man, what a pain in the ass!

Note To Self: Don't update drivers unless something is wrong!

Boy, You Stupid!

During the week I push myself out of bed around 5 each morning. This is not necessary a bad thing, but not always fun. Though, every once in a while it does have benefits, such as this morning.

If you where up maybe you saw the moon. Man, it was just hanging in the western sky, big as ever. It was just glowing with a big ol' halo around it. There where lots of cool looking clouds all keeping it company in the sky, many of them touched with colors by the rising sun. It made for a nice view while enjoying those first sips of coffee.

Hope you caught some of it.

I think there is a hint of truth in this one.



- Citizen Dog by Mark O'Hare

Speaking of TV ;) , I watched a good movie last night on HBO, "Something the Lord Made". It is the true, interesting story of two men, Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas - an ambitious white surgeon and a gifted black carpenter turned lab technician - who defied the racial strictures of the Jim Crow South and together pioneered the field of heart surgery. After watching it I spent some time cruising the web to find more of the history behind the story. There is not a whole lot, but I did find some in-depth information. It's out there if you wish to find it.

Windows users are being warned about a virus that is "aggressively stealing" credit card numbers and passwords.
The Korgo virus debuted on 22 May and since then has been steadily racking up victims.
Although the virus is not widespread, security firms are issuing warnings because it is proving so effective at stealing confidential data.
Those infected by Korgo are being urged to change passwords and credit cards if they have been used online recently.
Korgo exploits the same vulnerability that the Sasser web worm used so effectively when it struck early last month.
Like Sasser, the Korgo worm spreads around the net by itself.
"There's a real danger that your online banking ID would get into the wrong hands" - Mikael Albrecht, F-Secure
Despite the fact that many people patched their PC to remove the threat from Sasser, anti-virus firms are advising people to be on their guard against Korgo.
The virus opens up a backdoor on PCs it infects which allows its creators to install a key logging program that activates when users fill in forms on websites.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3776247.stm

Due to an increased rate of submissions, Symantec Security Response has upgraded this threat from a Category 2 to a Category 3 as of June 2, 2004.
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.korgo.f.html

TomDispatch.com has some interesting commentary of the D-Day celebrations going on now. They include this artcicle by Mike Davis

Remembering Bill and Ivan
By Mike Davis

The decisive battle for the liberation of Europe began sixty years ago this month when a Soviet guerrilla army emerged from the forests and swamps of Belorussia to launch a bold surprise attack on the mighty Wehrmacht's rear. The partisan brigades, including thousands of Jewish fighters and concentration-camp escapees, devastated the rail lines linking the German Army Group Center to its bases in Poland and Eastern Prussia.

Three days later, on 22 June -- the third anniversary of Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union -- Marshal Zhukov gave the order for the main assault on German front lines. Twenty-six thousand heavy guns and rocket launchers pulverized German fortifications in a matter of minutes. The banshee-like screams of the Katyusha rockets were punctually followed by the roar of 4000 tanks and the battle cries (in more than 40 languages!) of 1.6 million Soviet soldiers. Thus began Operation Bagration, an assault launched over a 500 hundred mile long front.

But what American has ever heard of Operation Bagration? June 1944 signifies Omaha Beach not the crossing of the Dvina River. Yet the Soviet summer offensive was almost an entire order of magnitude larger than Operation Overlord (the invasion of Normandy) in both the scale of forces engaged and the direct cost to the Germans.

By the end of summer, the Red Army (which included full divisions of Poles and Czechs) had reached the gates of Warsaw as well as the high passes of the Carpathians which command the entrance to Slovakia as well as Hungary. Soviet tanks, in a stunning reverse blitzkrieg, had caught Army Group Center in steel pincers and destroyed it. The Germans would lose more than 300,000 men in Belorussia alone. Another huge German army had been encircled and would soon be annihilated along the Baltic coast. The road to Berlin had been opened.

Thank Ivan.

It is no disparagement of the brave men who died in the sinister hedgerows of Normandy or in the cold forests around Bastogne, to recall that 70% of the Wehrmacht is buried on the Russian steppes not in French fields. In the struggle against Nazism, approximately forty "Ivans" died for every "Private Ryan."

Yet the ordinary Soviet soldier -- the tractor mechanic from Samara, the actor from Orel, the miner from the Donetz, or even the high-school girl from Leningrad -- is invisible in the current celebration and mythologization of the "Greatest Generation." It is as if the "new American century" cannot be fully born without exorcising the central Soviet role in the epochal victory of the last century.

Indeed, most Americans are shockingly clueless about the relative burdens of combat and death in the Second World War. And even the minority who understand something of the enormity of the Soviet sacrifice tend to visualize it in terms of crude stereotypes of the Red Army: a barbarian horde driven by feral revenge and primitive Russian nationalism. Only G.I. Joe and Tommy are envisioned as truly fighting for civilized ideals of freedom and democracy.

It is thus all the more important to recall that -- despite Stalin, the NKVD, and the massacre of an entire generation of Bolshevik leaders -- the Red Army still retained powerful elements of revolutionary fraternity. In its own eyes, and that of the slaves it freed from Hitler, it was the greatest army of liberation in history.

Moreover, the Red Army of 1944 was still a Soviet Army. The generals who led the brilliant breakthrough on the Dvina included a Jew (Chernyakovskii), an Armenian (Bagramyan), and a Pole (Rokossovskii). In contrast to the class-divided and racially segregated American forces, command in the Red Army was an open, if ruthless, ladder of opportunity.

Anyone who doubts the revolutionary élan and rank-and-file humanity of the Red Army should consult the extraordinary memoirs by Primo Levi (The Reawakening) and K.S. Karol (Between Two Worlds). Both hated Stalinism but loved the ordinary Soviet soldier and saw in her/him the seeds of socialist renewal.

So, as George W. Bush demeans the memory of D-Day to solicit support for his war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, I've decided to hold my own private commemoration.

I will recall, first, my kindhearted Uncle Bill, the salesman from Columbus, although it is hard to imagine such a gentle soul as a hell-for-leather teenage GI in Normandy. Second -- as I'm sure my Uncle Bill would've wished -- I will remember his comrade Ivan. The Ivan who drove his tank through the gates of Auschwitz and battled his way into Hitler's bunker.

Two ordinary heroes: Bill and Ivan. Obscene to celebrate the first without also commemorating the second.

Mike Davis is the author of Dead Cities: And Other Tales, Ecology of Fear, and co-author of Under the Perfect Sun: the San Diego Tourists Never See, among other books.

Copyright 2004 Mike Davis

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Defensemen Raymond Bourque, Paul Coffey and Larry Murphy have been selected for induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Bourque, Coffey and Murphy were joined by former general manager Cliff Fletcher in the builders category.

The Class of 2004 will be honored during induction ceremonies set for November 8.

More: http://www.thn.com/en/headlines/detail.asp?id=23716&cat=954945254360

New York Times - June 10, 2004

A research firm that the Bush administration commissioned to analyze its plan to lower emissions from coal-fired power plants compared the plan with two competing legislative proposals and concluded in a report released Wednesday that the administration's plan was the weakest.

At the invitation of the environmental coalition Clear the Air, the international research firm Abt Associates, which often conducts studies for the Environmental Protection Agency, used the same methodology in assessing all three. It found that the administration's plan, called the Clear Skies Act, would save as many as 14,000 lives but that the other bills would save more - 16,000 in one case and 22,000 in the other.

The findings, included in a report, "Dirty Air, Dirty Power," were immediately attacked by industry groups as a "repackaged" argument that focused on only one source of emissions. The administration's chief environmental policy adviser echoed the criticism, saying that the administration plan provided benefits as part of an overall strategy to meet air quality standards that were more stringent than ever.

But officials from Clear the Air said the report provided evidence that the administration's approach to curbing emissions from power plants did not do enough soon enough, and in the process, saved power companies from spending huge sums on technologies that would reduce emissions.

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/10/politics/10air.html

Changed the cycling blog to this. I just didn't feel like blogging there anymore.

via BBC Cycling:

Alexandre Vinokourov, one of the favourites for this year's Tour de France, has pulled out of the race with an injury. The Kazakhstani tore ligaments in his right shoulder in a crash on the Tour of Switzerland no Sunday.

"It is a bitter moment for us all. He was on the way to being in top form," said a spokesman for his T-Mobile team.

Vinokourov was a strong third on last year's Tour and was considered one of the few threats to Lance Armstrong.

T-Mobile's director of sport Mario Kummer added: "Vino will be a big loss. Now the team must come more closer together."

Speak harshly to no one,
or the words will be thrown
right back at you.
Contentious talk is painful,
for you get struck by rods in return.

- Dhammapada, 10, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Now if only I could do this, I would not keep getting hit with those darn rods.
And them rods can be painful!

Contributed by Working Assets

In the next few weeks, the Senate is poised to vote on legislation to fight global warming.

The McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act (S. 139) is a bipartisan bill that mandates limits on greenhouse-gas emissions by U.S. polluters and requires cuts to take effect by 2010.

Last October, the legislation was unfortunately defeated in a 43-55 vote, but Senators McCain and Lieberman are bringing it back to the Senate floor for a new vote later this month.

It has become clear that neither corporations nor the Bush administration will take action to reverse global warming, so it’s up to the thoughtful, independent voices in the U.S. Senate to take up the charge.

Urge your senators to back the McCain-Lieberman bill and slow global warming before it’s too late.

Click here to take action!

from The Washington Post:

Ten of the nation's top climate researchers warned yesterday that policymakers must act soon to address the dangers associated with global warming, which they described as a looming threat that will hit hardest and soonest at the world's poor and at farmers.

"By mid-century, millions more poor children around the world are likely to face displacement, malnourishment, disease and even starvation unless all countries take action now to slow global warming" and sea-level rises that will follow, Michael Oppenheimer, who teaches geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University, said at a conference. "Imagine the difficulties faced by families in Bangladesh. An area where about 8 million people now live would be underwater if global sea level were to rise half a meter. Where are they going to go?"

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44598-2004Jun15.html

To bad G. W. Bush doesn't read the newspapers, or maybe that's simply "doesn't read!" ;)

New bill would allow Pentagon to gather intelligence on US residents without their knowledge.

From Christian Science Monitor

Newsweek reports that the US Department of Defense is looking for the right to gather information from, and about, Americans, without having to tell them that they are doing so. "Without a public hearing or debate," the news magazine reports, "Defense officials recently slipped a provision into a bill before Congress that could vastly expand the Pentagon's ability to gather intelligence inside the United States, including recruiting citizens as informants."

Currently all military intelligence organizations must comply with the Privacy Act. The act is a Watergate-era law that requires that any government official who is seeking information from a resident of the US disclose who they are and why they are seeking the information. But Newsweek reports that last month the Senate Intelligence Committee, in closed session, added the provision that would exempt the Pentagon from this restriction.

Among those pushing for the bill was "NORTHCOM," the new North American command set up by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in Colorado. NORTHCOM's mission is to over see "homeland defense."

More: http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0617/dailyUpdate.html

At this point I have had enough of this change in the weather. Two days ago the change from hot, sunny days to rain was a nice change. Today, after three days of rain, I am ready to see the sun again. I know the plants are living in shear happiness, but at some point they will need the sun again for a little photosynthesis. It seems everyone is starting to get tired and depressed, nerves are a tad on edge. I am not sure how people in parts of Washington, Oregon and England can take this much cloudy rainy days. Well, maybe I am just a wimp.

I guess I could compain that since the weekend is now upon us I won't be able to go mountain biking. Yes, I suppose I could go riding anyway. Many moons ago I would probably have been into it, but I am not that much into mud anymore.
Bring me some sun, please.

It's sunny today. Woohoo!

It has been rainy/cloudy around here for 6 or so days and I am getting really tired of riding in the rain everyday. I needed a break from cleaning the bike every single day. The poor thing was getting hammered on a daily basis and it was not very happy about it. The back end was really starting to make some strange, kind of scarry noises there for a while. Once I was able to get the bike good and clean they have seemed to go away. I am still kind of nervous about the whole thing.

I road almost 60 miles on Sunday (see log). My legs where feeling pretty tired there towards the end. The reason I bring this up, I have been thinking I want to do a century ride this summer. But after the ride on Sunday, I am not really sure I am quite ready to. If I would have had to ride another 40 miles and I doubt I would have made it. I guess I will just have to keep up the training. I have started spinning on the way to work and back, we shall see it that helps at all.

Finally, yesterday I was perusing around the Bontrager site and found this page with articles by Keith Bontrager. He definitly has some interesting things to say about this, that and the other thing. (this is where I got the idea to try spinning for a while)

Frazz by Jef Mallett - 06/26/2004

There are just a mere 6 days left till the Tour de France is once again upon us. I am eagerly awaiting to start so I can see what the outcome will be on the 25th of July. I can't wait to see if the alpha dog can put on a 6th consecutive Maillot Jaune in Paris.

USPS Team Roster (aka: Armstrong's Army)
Lance Armstrong - America
George Hincapie - the only rider to have ridden with Armstrong in all of his Tour victories - America
Floyd Landis - America
Viatcheslav Ekimov - Russia
Pavel Padrnos - Czech Republic
Jose Azevedo - Portugal
Manuel Beltran - Spain
Jose Luis Rubiera - Spain
Benjamin Noval - Spain

Hincapie, Padrnos and Ekimov will be expected to protect Armstrong in the long flat stages that dominate the opening week of racing while, Azevedo, Beltran and Rubiera are key mountain men.

Interestingly, team director Johan Bruyneel left Victor Hugo Pena (Columbia) off the team, who rode with Armstrong last year and briefly held the maillot juane. Luxembourg's Benoit Joachim , a 2003 team member, was also left off the team.

Armstrong is quoted in a team press release as saying, "Basically, we have the same team as the other years. We have a very experienced team and more than anything else, we have a very committed team. They know what it takes to win the Tour and they want to do that again."

Some recent and interesting updates:
- David Millar will miss the Tour de France because of a doping investigation.
- Joseba Beloki will not ride in this year's Tour de France after leaving his French team.
- Alexandre Vinokourov, third in the 2003 Tour de France, will miss this year's race.

Armstongs top rival, once again, will be Jan Ullrich, who recently won the Tour of Switzerland. Definitely in the hunt will be Tyler Hamilton, now riding with Phonak, who came in second to Iban Mayo in the Dauphine Libere. Mayo is a possible contender himself.

10. History
In the Tour’s 101-year history, nobody has ever taken more than five Tour de France victories, and only one other cyclist has matched Armstrong’s five consecutive victories. If Lance succeeds, this will be one for the history books.

9. Sheryl Crow
The rock superstar is bright, talented -- and dating Lance Armstrong. It’s enough to make the rest of us don spandex, start shaving our legs and riding bikes.

8. Robin Williams
Believe it or don’t, but Mork from Ork is a very, very serious cyclist, a huge Armstrong fan and a personal friend of Lance. He’s been spotted riding in the Postal team car during the last couple of Tours, he’s been known to take meals with the team and provide a little improv entertainment.

7. No halftime-show hype
Although a massive publicity caravan precedes the racers along the Tour route, we don’t see any of it here in the States. In other words, we don’t get deluged with pre-game hype about the halftime show (and we aren’t subjected to thinly veiled publicity stunts from the likes of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake).

6. America looks good, for once
With U.S. foreign policy as unpopular as ever, it’s good for the world to see Americans in a positive light. We will figure prominently in this year’s Tour, led by Lance and his U.S. Postal Service squad, and backed up by countrymen Tyler Hamilton, Levi Leipheimer and Bobby Julich. Le Tour is one of America’s few chances to be a positive presence on the world stage.

5. Tyler Hamilton
Aside from Armstrong, Hamilton is likely to be the top-placed American in the Tour. He broke his collarbone in last year’s first stage pile-up, then gritted his teeth and continued on to Paris, even chalking up a coveted mountaintop stage win and taking fourth place in the final standings. If he stays healthy this year, Hamilton could even capture the overall title.

4. No need to call in sick
France is 6-9 hours ahead of us time-wise, depending on where you live in the U.S., meaning that in many cases, you can watch live coverage of the race on OLN or at http://www.letour.fr, and still make it to work on time.

3. It’s grueling
This year’s race is more than 2,100 miles long, spread out over 21 stages (technically, a prologue plus 20 stages) of racing. Watching these guys suffer takes the romance out of being a professional athlete, but it sure makes you appreciate your own job.

2. It’s enormous
More than 1 million people will line Belgian and French roads to see the Tour live, with another 1 billion tuning in via television, radio and the Internet. It's the most followed annual sporting event in the world, beating even the Super Bowl. Only soccer’s World Cup and the Olympics -- both of which occur every four years -- have more devotees.

1. Lance Armstrong
A comeback from cancer, then five straight Tour victories -- arguably the most inspirational story in sports history.

Garrett Lai is the former editor of Bicycle Guide Magazine and is a freelancer based in Southern California.

Such human qualities as morality, compassion, decency, wisdom and so forth have been the foundations of all civilizations. These qualities must be cultivated and sustained through systematic moral education in a conductive social environment, so that a more humane world may emerge.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

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